SEX statistics undoubtedly offer a voyeuristic thrill. When you read that 80% of British 25- to 34-year-olds had oral sex last year, or that the average heterosexual British couple had sex three times in the past four weeks (down from five times 20 years ago) or that 50% of British men and 40% of British women aged 25 to 34 have tried heterosexual anal sex at least once, it is hard not to imagine all these people actually doing these things.

You might find that alluring or alarming. What makes this book so rewarding is that it shows how sexual behaviour has changed over time. David Spiegelhalter is Cambridge University’s Winton professor for the public understanding of risk (a statistician)…

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